THE European Tour is still planning to hold a tournament in South Korea in two weeks’ time despite the imminent threat of war in the area.

Two former Open champions, Paul Lawrie and Darren Clarke, along with top Americans Dustin Johnson and Zach Johnson, have entered the Ballantine’s event due to be held in Incheon from April 25 to 28.

We are closely monitoring the political situation, but at the moment we do not perceive any problems

Keith Waters, the Tour’s director of international policy

The host club is only 30 minutes from the border with neighbouring communist North Korea, whose leadership have been waging a war of words with the South and their allies from the United States in recent weeks.

Yesterday the North’s leader Kim Jong-un urged all foreigners to quit South Korea as he ramped up his threat to launch missile strikes.

But the European Tour does not believe it is the right time to call off the tournament.

Keith Waters, the Tour’s director of international policy, said yesterday: “We are closely monitoring the political situation, but at the moment we do not perceive any problems in terms of the Ballantine’s Championship and it taking place as scheduled later this month.”

But in a separate statement the sponsors did admit they were bracing themselves for the possibility of some players refusing to travel to South Korea.

A company spokesman said: “We fully support the European Tour, but respect the decision of individual players to make their own choices.”

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